Don't Let Go

Chapter 15

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Recap:

"He's gone." I whispered in disbelief. Tears kept on coming. Jack put a hand over his mouth and his eyes were lost.

I watched as tears slowly fell down his face. His eyes were shining with hurt.

"What do we do?" I asked between sobs. "He's just gone." I said quietly.

"I don't know. I don't know." Jack choked out, pulling me into him. He wrapped his arms around my neck and my face fell into his neck. 

Tristan was gone.

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We stayed like that for a while. I kept my eyes closed, hoping that once I opened them this will all have been a nightmare. 

Jack pulled away. Through my tears I looked across the room at Tristan's parents. His mother was sobbing uncontrollably and his father was in shock as he tried to comfort Mrs. Hunter. 

At some point Bradley had disappeared because he was no where in the waiting room. 

I looked back at Jack who was silent but had tears streaming down his face. His blue eyes were surrounded in bright red, he was breathing hard and he looked as if he had a million things running through his mind. 

Jack collapsed onto a chair, cried some more and stared blankly off into the distance. 

I watched as a doctor approched Mr. and Mrs. Hunter. I watched the man's mouth move and I knew exactly what he was telling them. 

Tristan had overdosed. He was brain dead and they tried to revive him, but they couldn't.

I watched as Mrs. Hunter continued crying, with Mr. Hunter's hand on her back. 

"Would you like to see him?" I heard the doctor ask. They nodded. They stood up and followed the doctor passed the doors and into the hallway. I sat down a few chairs away from Jack. Neither of us said a word.

Time passed. But I had no concept of how much. I stared outside of the waiting room window as the sky darkened. Tears kept falling down my face. I couldn't think. I couldn't understand. 

It was a nightmare. I wanted to kick and scream. I wanted to wake up and feel the relief that none of what I dreamed had actually happened. But I wasn't going to wake up. This was reality.

Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter walked back into the waiting room. Jack stood up to meet them. Mrs. Hunter's eyes were stained with tears and Mr. Hunter was emotionless. Both were calm.

Jack said a few words to the two of them and Mrs. Hunter hugged him. I watched as she whispered something into his ear. 

Jack pulled back and looked down. Mr. Hunter pat his back and said a few words as well. 

Mrs. Hunter glanced at me but said nothing. 

They began to walk away. Jack approached me as Mr. and Mrs. Hunter exited the waiting room.

"Where are they going?" I asked Jack.

"Home." he whispered, his voice shaky. I frowned.

"What are they supposed to do? They're son is dead." Jack broke down when he spoke the second part. He covered his eyes with his hand and took a deep breath.

"Mrs. Hunter told me we could see Tristan." Jack said after a few moments. Jack bit his lip and closed his eyes.

"Are you going to?" I asked softly. Jack shook his head and let out a breath.